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Watch out for those extra costs

Look out Campbell River...for John Hart Dam extra costs

Look Out Campbell River...for John Hart Dam extra costs.

As I read today that BC Hydro has been given the OK to charge extra fees to people that objected to the Smart Meter Installations, before the Choices Program is reviewed by the Utilities Commission, I wonder what the City of Campbell River might be looking to in the near future?

I wonder why my wife and I are ‘eligible’ and ‘qualify’ to pay again for services that our previous Hydro bills had already built in? Or has this new program required Hydro to get rid of all their old data for ‘estimating’ bills, real people answering phones and inputting data, and have we not already used PowerSmart ideas to reduce how much we pay? What kind of business wants you to pay less to them?

Oh, and unless I’m mistaken, we’ll also be paying for the Smart Meters, the Independent Power Producers, the North West Transmission Line and the rest of Hydro’s debts...like everyone else.

Also, I’d like to know why the difference between an old meter and a radio-off meter charge if both have to be read manually, and I’m paying for the Smart Meter already? And can I trust Hydro/government not to legislate the radio-off to a  radio-on state without any approval?

And so I wonder if the planning for Smart Meters, which seems to be done as it proceeds, will be the same for the Dam Project...remember the water intake line negotiations!

How much more might Campbell River have to ante up to have this construction done and the benefits from it?

I know the project needs to be done but I roll my eyes whenever so-called benefits are advertised. Hmm, I wonder if the automatic power outage detection benefit from Smart Meters is working...yet?

Tim Benoit

Campbell River Coalition to Stop Smart Meters